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Edison, New Jersey Rehabs for Drug Abusers
The nickname for Edison, New Jersey, is “Birthplace of the Modern World.” When it was first established it was called Raritan Township, but this was subsequently changed to “Edison” in order to honor the eponymous inventor, who developed many of his famous technologies in the city. Edison is located in Middlesex County and has a population of 97,687, with approximately three people living in each household. The city has garnered some top honors nationally; it was designated one of “America’s Best Places to Live” according to Money Magazine, and one of the safest places in the country for women, according to the journal SELF. The praise doesn’t stop there, though—Business Week dubbed the town the best place in the state to raise children, and it is also home to a delightful variety of historical monuments, museums, and art galleries, as well as dozens of parks for lovers of the outdoors. Yet with all of these things going for the city, Edison also has a drug problem.
What Kinds of Drugs are Available in Edison?
Cocaine—one of the most popular drugs in Edison, and one reported by the DEA as widely abused—is a white powdered substance that is smoked, snorted, or injected. Cocaine can be converted into crack, which is sold in great quantities due to its lower price. Despite the fact that cocaine is called a “rich man’s drug,” however—there are many in Edison who can and do buy it.
Heroin is a highly addictive illegal drug used around the world and right here in Edison. Many users of heroin find it so addictive that they take it every single day of their lives, knowing that when they attempt to stop, they’ll face the horrors of withdrawal. Reports from the New Jersey State Department of Human Services’ Division of Addiction Services disclose that heroin is used by 18 to 25-year-olds with high frequency in New Jersey. Treatment admissions increased in 2006, with 22,751 heroin cases that year—constituting 41% of all treatment admissions. Young people are attracted by heroin due to its purity compared to other drugs (which are often mixed or ‘cut’ with other substances), and due to its low price. It has been reported that there has been a steady increase in purity levels since 2003, and the Newark area heroin purity is among the highest in the nation.
There is also methamphetamine production in Edison. While many people still think of meth as being produced by outlaw motorcycle gangs, independent chemists, or traditional mafia organizations, these days many otherwise regular citizens have gotten into the meth game. According to some of the latest investigations, local Filipino communities have also become particularly involved in production and distribution. Filipino traffickers have begun importing large amounts of methamphetamine from Mexico and the Philippines. Methamphetamine is commonly converted to “ice” in the Los Angeles area and then transported to the New York and New Jersey regions. Edison largely gets its “ice” by way of mail and parcel services. Law enforcement authorities have begun serious investigation of postal distribution of meth, however, so much of its influx into Edison, New Jersey, has begun to shift to vehicular transportation. Meth has increased in the southern part of the state due to the Mexican suppliers. Whichever route it takes into Edison, what is certain is that meth readily available here—and very highly addictive.
Let’s not forget marijuana. It is one of the most popular drugs used in the world, and Edison is no exception. The southwest border states are mostly responsible for the marijuana that is in Edison. Marijuana is readily available and, like meth, it gets to Edison via distribution routes using cars, tractor-trailers, vessels, the US Postal service, and private-sector postal services. Marijuana consists of the dried flowers, seeds and leaves of the Indian hemp plant. It is a hallucinogen at high doses and it distorts users’ mental perceptions when consumed in any amount. Its active ingredient, THC, causes this perceptual distortion. A person who smokes a joint gets an immediate sensation of increased heart rate, lessened coordination and balance, and a dreamy state of mind. This drug can stay in your cells for many days and even months.
The state of New Jersey has the mixed blessing of being home to the highest concentration of pharmaceutical and chemical firms in the country. Not surprisingly, a great deal of “doctor shopping”— the practice of going to more than one doctor with varying (sometimes invented) ailments and getting prescriptions for all—occurs in Edison. People who do this then either keep the drugs for their own abuse, or sell them. Reports indicate that arrests for prescription fraud and for unlawful possession of prescription medication have been on the rise in Edison, New Jersey. Prescription forgers and organized script rings, which divert and distribute legitimate pharmaceutical drugs, can be found all over New Jersey. Percocet, Oxycontin, Xanax, Vicodin, and Hydrocodone have been shown to be the most commonly abused prescription drugs in Edison.
Who is Effected by Drug Abuse? Everyone.
You may think that drug addiction is a very personal thing. Indeed it is, but the fact is that its consequences are far-reaching. A drug abuser inevitably harms himself because he will damage his body with the drug, and almost always will fail to eat and sleep properly. He often generates emotional problems for those who care for him by becoming agitated, irritable, angry, or morose when unable to get high. While the people around him simply wonder why he can’t just stop taking the drugs, the situation usually worsens. Addicts often begin to arrive late to work, their job performance will suffer, and they may be fired. As their ability to earn an income falters, some addicts then begin stealing in order to obtain drugs—at this point law enforcement agencies, and thus tax payer money, become involved. If the addict then gets sick, the cost may well fall on the community, since few addicts manage to maintain payments for health insurance. Clearly, the consequences of drug abuse and addiction reach far beyond the addict himself, to affect every taxpayer in Edison, New Jersey. So how can we end this community affliction?
Rehab Centers
In the United States, there are many different forms and philosophies of drug rehabilitation and treatment. Techniques used nationally include the twelve step program, relapse prevention, one-on-one counseling, drug rehabilitation, behavior modification, support groups—the list goes on and on. With so many options, people seeking rehab for themselves or a loved one have to ask themselves some important questions. Consider whether the best environment for rehabilitation is a controlled, neutral one free of daily distractions and potential disturbances, or whether change can be accomplished while the abuser goes about life as usual. The problem with the latter is that addicts usually have numerous, and sometimes deep-seated problems with daily life. He usually has sought out illegal drugs as a way to escape from these problems in the first place. So the psychic and physical work of rehab is usually best gone through in a neutral, safe place. Withdrawal and detox will be a challenge in themselves, and it helps when the addict can put aside outside problems for a while.
You will also need to consider the temptation to get off the original drug abused by way of another drug. The simple fact is that this only develops another substance dependency in the addict—so most experts recommend pursuing a more natural route.
Once an addict has detoxed, the work is far from over; he will need to learn real life-skills, like communication and strategies for handling his own and others’ emotions without turning to drugs for escape. Acquiring the psychic, social, and professional skills to handle himself drug-free is one of the most important things that a recovering drug abuser can do. People seeking treatment clearly need a reliable, proven program which makes drug addiction is a thing of the past and enables them to live full, productive, sober lives.
Call us now for help: 1-800-435-2890.
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